The current smoke management often does not allow fire managers to burn the amount of acres they have plans to burn. Hessburg thinks that the least smoke option is the best one. The top photo shows the air quality during a prescribed burn. Because of an inversion, smoke hung in the area for two days before clearing. The same photo was shot during wildfire season. The smoke contained six times the particulates and lasted for 30 days before clearing. In closing Hessburg asked those in attendance, "How do you want your fire? How do you want your smoke?"
SEELEY LAKE – The reality of wildfires burning more frequently with higher intensity and across larger areas was the hot topic Thursday, April 27 during the Era of Megafires event in Seeley Lake. Guest speaker Dr. Paul Hessburg shared the story about why he feels megafires (fires larger than 100,000 acres) are happening. Instead of fear, his mission was to incite a call to action and a feeling of power to change the way wildfires affect people's homes, neighborhoods, towns and the landscapes that surround communities.
While not all communities have been affected directly by wildfire, Dr. Hessb...
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